Fashion Photographers

I decided too look into fashion photographers which use Photoshop to enhance and edit their photographs. I found 2 photographers which I really liked Mario Testino, Nigel Barker and also Nick Knight. I look into these three photographers to see the impact that these editorial programmes have on their work and how they use the software to enhance their image. 

NICK KNIGHT

Nick Knight is British fashion photographer who is known to be one of the top celebrity  photographers. He has a reputation for pushing boundaries at every opportunity whether it be technically or creatively. He has worked with a lot controversial issues during his career such as racism, disiblility, ageism and also fatism which allows him to constantly challenge the idea of beauty and what is seen as right or wrong. 

Knight has collaborated with many leading designers within the industry including John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. These are two of my favourite designers. I think both designer and photographer's style both really compliment one another's work as they all have a very bold and extravagant work style which combined together works amazingly well. 

The two images above are from the collaboration with Alexander McQueen. I really like these two images as they get both photographer and designers distinctive styles displayed. The images are very edgy and unique. I like the picture on the right as it is really bright and vibrant. It is also really weird and abstract including the strange composition with the models head being in the right hand corner; I like this as the main focus is on the texture of the snakes which links back into the shoes which have obviously been inspired by the snake's skin. 

I also like the second image on the left for similar reasons. I like the fact that both McQueen and Knight's styles have both been shown within the image. The way the fabric of the garment has a very reflective sheen to it as if it was in person, I think this is really effective and looks really realistic; it really shows the quality of the clothing McQueen has produced. I like how this image is really dark and sinister which is quite a lot like Alexander McQueen's style when he promotes his clothing.The colours and tones which have been used within the image are very blue which is known to be quite morbid and depressing which really fits the image. The image is very shocking which pushes boundaries as it is out of the ordinary. The composition of the photograph is very strong as it is central and the models stance makes it a very powerful shot. The cut through the models forehead is really effective as there are flowers instead of what should be blood which shows McQueen's style as he used what should be seen as gory and breaks that mould by replacing the gory object with something beautiful like the flowers. I love this idea.

Nick Knight has also produced advertising campaigns for the most prestigious clients such as Levi Strauss, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Lancome, and Swarovski. As well as editorial production for British Vogue, Dazed & Confused, I-D, Paris Vogue and Another. Knight has been known for award-winning standard of editorial work.

MARIO TESTINO

Mario Testino is a well known Peruvian fashion photographer. He is known for his magical skill of making his photos as fun as possible but keeping his own distinctive Peruvian style of work. 
Testino's work has been featured in magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. He was chosen to photograph Princess Diana for her Vanity Fair photo shoot in 1997 which was definitely his career high point as he has been regularly employed by the British royal family ever since. 

Mario Testino's style has been described as 'luxery realism' but he resists analysing it too much. In the 90's, he decided to defeat all competing photographers and championed a new breed of model which Kate Moss was part of and many would say he helped set her career. They have worked closely together over the last few decades and Testino has even produced a book named 'Kate Moss' by Mario Testino. These images were the most intimate photos of today's biggest international fashion icon and model. It is the unseen Kate Moss. There are 1,500 copies signed by Testino himself, which is a very limited amount.

   

Testino published his first book of photography, a raunchy and vibrant collection of images entitled 'Any Objections in 1999. In 2003 he published Portraits to accompany his exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery. In 2005 his exhibition of photographs of Princess Diana opened at Kensington Palace.

I like Mario Testino's work as it is vibrant and cutting
edge. It is really fashionable as well as raunchy and seductive which pushes the boundaries and makes him more rebellious in his own work, I like that. He works really well in both colour and black and white which is really interesting because both of these he has a completely different style. I like this because many photographers only stick to one of these options. I like how his style is so recognisable; even though he has photographed well known celebrities you can recognise his work and it isn't taken away but who he is photographing but instead emphasized.  



Testino's style has a very soft feel about them which is a contrast the harshness of his powerful or seductive stands which his models are mainly positioned in. He's work is very seductive and sexual. 

NIGEL BAKER

Nigel Barker is a Sri Lanken-English photographer. He is most known for his participation as a judge on the reality show America's Next Top Model. Nigel Barker is now a former model from the 80's era. His modelling career was very successful which took him all over the world working for big names in the industry such as Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Gaultier, Ralph Lauren and DKNY. This introduced him to the world of fashion photography and after a decade of being behind the camera he decided to follow his dream of becoming a photographer. 

Barker's work has appeared in a wide variety of publications such as Playboy, Black & White, Oyster and many more. He has a range of high fashion clients such as Bulgari, Gortex, Nicole Miller. His America's Next Top career was intially to be the photographer but after one series of shoots he was employed to become a judge as his background as a model as well as a photographer would allow him to judge from two different points of views combine, this role is now permanent. To the left is an image of Barker looking really young in the days of his modelling career.

I think that Nigel Barker work is good but I think he edits the images too much as they can look quite false, plastic and barbie-like. The composition of the images are really strong and I like the way the model's are positioned as well as their stances. This is really powerful and strong. The images are high fashion although and would really fit into a high fashion magazine. I like the fact that the models have a very blank expression in these photos it is almost alien-like but looks really effective. I don't like the way he has blurred the black shawl and skirt of these images as they look quite messy and unrealistic. I'm not too sure if I am keen on his work. There are element which I like the positioning and composition.